


An Unexpected Meeting

by Mastia



Series: An Unexpected Meeting [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Bring Your Own Crackers, Ereri/Riren, F/F, F/M, Gay, I'll Bring the Cheese, M/M, Minor Armin Arlert/Jean Kirstein, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-11
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-01-04 09:34:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1079395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mastia/pseuds/Mastia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things take an unexpected turn when Levi Rivialle bumps into Eren Jaeger, a previous student who confessed to him his senior year. Post Highschool/College AU, Rated Mature for later.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Summer Break

**Author's Note:**

  * For [surveycorpsftw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/surveycorpsftw/gifts).



> Thanks for reading! I’m the only one working on this, so if you see any mistakes or just want to talk you can reach me at my tumblr or just message me here. I’m Mastia on both. On tumblr, I’m tracking #snk infected (my other fic) and #snk unexpected meeting.

It was another sunny morning when Levi woke up. His eyes squinted as he burrowed deeper under his covers, and he groaned. The alarm clock screeched in his ears; his hand skillfully navigated to press the snooze button. Eyes closed, he stayed in bed.

It was the first morning of summer break. He hadn’t had the pleasure of sleeping in during school; he had forgotten how nice it could be. Normally, he would have been up hours earlier, drinking coffee like nobody’s business and grading his students’ essays. While being a teacher had its good side, it was tolling on the man, and he relished the feeling of freedom that summer brought. There was no doubt in his mind that the seniors that had passed his classes were doing the same.

After lying in bed until the heat had made his skin sticky with sweat, Levi got up to take a shower. It was an unusually hot summer that year and he shivered when the cold water hit his flushed skin. His thoughts continued to wander as he washed himself, and much to his annoyance, he found himself thinking of one student in particular.

Eren Jaeger had been one of the many trouble students that had plagued his eighth block class the previous year. He was determined, unnaturally so, and his turquoise eyes displayed his emotions for all to see. His brown hair was always a mess, and he could be excruciatingly oblivious at times. It almost hurt. In all his years of teaching, Levi had never met a student like him.

The boy had confessed to him shortly after joining Levi’s class; it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. Levi was an attractive man with a small frame and piercing steel blue eyes.  He still remembered the gleam in the kid’s eyes when he’d rejected him. Instead of acting like the brat he was, though, he’d replied calmly that he would change his teacher’s mind. He said he’d prove himself, whatever that meant, and Levi had stared in shock as he’d walked away.

As Levi stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist, he chuckled. Eren had graduated and was probably going off somewhere else. It was unlikely that they would ever meet again, and whatever could have happened between them had been extinguished before it could begin. Maybe, if they hadn’t been teacher and student things would have been different, but Levi knew better than to dwell in the past.

Sighing at himself, he brushed off the thought of Eren Jaeger and continued his day as planned. He had no idea that said boy was, at that very moment, excitedly telling his best friend Armin what a great apartment he’d managed to find for them. An apartment that just so happened to be right across from Levi’s.

               


	2. The Lease

Eren called Armin as soon as he received the news. Petra, the manager of the apartments he’d looked at earlier had emailed him to let him know the application had passed and he and Armin were set to move in. They had been waiting for the call; their stuff was already packed. After telling Eren the good news, she mentioned something about their neighbor, but he had already tuned her out in his excitement. If it was important he would find out soon enough.

Armin arrived shortly after getting Eren’s call. His shoulder length hair was pulled back into a partial ponytail, and his blue eyes sparkled with excitement. He wore skinny jeans and one of Eren’s oversized t-shirts, and numerous bracelets dangled on his right wrist.

Eren smiled, quickly getting into the air conditioned van. It wavered slightly, however when he noticed his best friend’s boyfriend sitting behind him. He had offered to help them move, and in his anticipation, Eren had completely forgotten. He and Jean had always had a mutual dislike for each other, but when Armin had confessed, both had agreed to rein in the hostility.

Not allowing Jean’s presence to ruin his good mood, Eren grinned broadly and turned to Armin, cheerfully yelling a “Good morning, Horseface!” over his shoulder.

Rolling his eyes, Jean replied with a disinterested “It’s two o’clock, Asshole.”

Armin chuckled at their exchange. He and Jean had been together for over a year now, and though it had put him on edge at first, their constant bickering had become a daily thing and something he found himself looking forward too. It was a reminder of how much they both cared about him. After checking the directions for the tenth time since Eren had called him, Armin backed up and drove them to sign their first lease.


	3. Party?

After cleaning his kitchen, Levi decided he needed to make a trip to the store. His fridge was bare, save a few vegetables and an almost empty container of milk, and he was not the biggest fan of eating out. He walked over to his computer to check his bank account when his doorbell rang.

“Come in!”

His coworker and friend, Hanji, tripped through the door; she was carrying bags of food. Levi rolled his eyes. Of course. She had always been one step ahead of him. No longer seeing the need to look at his balance, he stood, going over to help her put everything away. While Levi put the groceries in their respective places, Hanji plopped onto his couch and turned on the tv.

When Levi was done, he sat next to her.

“So, stew?”

Hanji’s smile broadened, “And dessert. Ooh and make enough for a few extra people. We’re having guests tonight.”

Levi’s eyes flickered, “Oh, we are? And just who might that be?”

Her eyes gleamed. “You haven’t heard? Petra sent you a text. You’re getting two new neighbors. I was thinking a party would be fun.”

 


	4. Moving Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jean helps Armin and Eren move in; Levi and Hanji go shopping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, there! I’m not good with notes and stuff (I’ve been told I seem unfriendly when I try?) so I don’t usually comment…..For you guys that have commented and given a kudos, it really does mean a lot to me ^_^ I’m still pretty unsure of my writing, and it makes my day when I see new comments. I know that the chapters are really short, so I’m doing my best to update often. I’m sorry if it seems a bit rushed. Oh, and if you have any questions, just let me know! I’ll do my best to clear things up!

The trio made it to the apartment complex in no time. Armin was just as eager as Eren, and Jean had to tell him to slow down multiple times. When they arrived, each took a box and headed for the top floor. Eren was practically skipping ahead of the other two boys; he was already inside the apartment when the other two reached the elevator.

The apartment was nice with two bedrooms and two bathrooms; a balcony with a great view was attached to the living room. The floors were hardwood and it was already furnished- all gold, dark browns and reds. While the rent wasn’t exactly cheap, money wasn’t really an issue, and the manager had sounded really nice to Eren. It was also close to the college they both were going to attend which was a plus.

Knowing that Armin would insist he have it, Eren settled into the larger of the two bedrooms. While Armin had chosen science for his course of study, Eren was an art major. Sina University’s art department was known for its rigorous projects, and his paintings tended to be quite large. After quickly going over where he could put his things, he smiled to himself.

It was actually the best arrangement for both of them. The loft area over the living room would be a great library and study space for Armin, and it was right next to the other bedroom and bathroom. Eren could stay downstairs and wouldn’t bother Armin during his late night kitchen raids.

As Eren started towards the living room, Armin and Jean walked through the front door. Not seeing his roommate, Armin set his box down on the floor. Jean silently followed his boyfriend’s example, and impatiently looked at his watch.

“Eren?” Armin yelled.

“Right here,” Eren replied, his lips upturned in a mischievous smirk, “You can have the bedroom upstairs. It has the bigger closet. We both know you need the extra space to hide your sex to-.”

“Don’t you _dare_ say it, Eren,” Armin threatened. While his sex life wasn’t something he minded Eren joking about, he wasn’t really in the mood to talk Jean down from the ceiling.

“Hey, just calling it how I see it,” he put his hands up defensively then chuckled lightly, “Seriously, though, you’ll do better upstairs. I mentioned to Petra how much you like reading, and she installed some bookshelves and a really nice wooden desk up there. Oh, and there’s a couch too.”

Jean sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose dramatically, “Well, that’s nice Jaeger, but can we hurry up please? Armin and I need to be somewhere soon, and it wouldn’t be smart to be late. Not that you would understand what with your utter lack of social life.“

Eren frowned and rolled his eyes, “Fine, then. Let’s go. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”

 

~

 

Levi groaned as Hanji pulled him through the aisles. The brunette was talking a mile a minute as she stuffed random things into the cart. Levi was on edge; the noise of the crowd had ruined his somewhat good mood, and when he heard a little kid crying somewhere in the background, he cursed his friend under his breath.

“Why didn’t you buy enough food? Useless piece of shit.”

“I didn’t know you needed that much! It’s not my fault,” Hanji whined.

“You only bought a case of beer and a carrot. Who in their right mind-,” Levi’s eyes narrowed to glare at the taller woman, “Oh, wait. I forgot we were talking about _you_.”

“Hey!” Hanji pouted, and then smiled broadly, running ahead of Levi with the cart, “You know you love me. ”

Following, Levi sighed and muttered, “Whatever. Let’s just get this over with. I’m getting a migraine. I’ve got a bad feeling…”

               

~

 

Armin spread out next to Eren on his bed and yawned, “You sure you don’t want to come? It’ll be fun.”

“Yeah, I’m sure. The tv is calling to me. Besides, you know I’m not really into big parties. Not to mention the fact that I wouldn’t know anyone there.” Eren smiled at his friend and playfully nudged him with his foot, “Enough about me. What’re you gonna wear?”

Armin sighed, “Uh, I don’t know. I was thinking maybe that purple top and those black skinny jeans Mikasa bought me last Christmas. Those look good together.”

“Yeah, you look really good in that outfit. Jean won’t be able to keep his hooves off you.” Eren winked, receiving a light punch to the arm.

“Because sex is all I could possibly be after. Nothing else,” Armin rolled his eyes and then closed them, his eyebrows knitting in concern, “Seriously, though, I want to make a good impression. I’ll be spending the next eight years of my life with these people. What if I make a fool of myself?”

“You’ll be _fine_. Quit worrying. You’re the smartest guy I know. They’ll be blown away by your smartness.”

Armin sat up, a grin starting to spread on his face, “Really?”

“Really.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you dialect? Uhg… Uh, there’s something in this chapter I think I should clarify…There is a reason a couple of college freshmen and a high school teacher can afford apartments on the top floor of an expensive place, and that will be explained in later chapters. :D


	5. Awkward Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two finally meet! :D

Shortly after their conversation, Armin left with Jean. It was seven o’clock and while the party didn’t officially start until eight, Armin was anxious about arriving late. He had always been like that. Eren scratched the back of his head as he dropped onto the couch and reached for the remote. Cartoons sounded nice.

Armin and Eren hadn’t had time to pick up dinner, so he was going to have to order out. He sighed. Delivery was nice once in a while, but having the same thing over and over again lost its appeal after a while. ‘Oh, well’, he thought, ‘It’s not like I really have a choice.’

He wasn’t that hungry at the moment, so he decided to take a shower first. It was hot outside, and moving the boxes back and forth had made him sweaty. He’d already unpacked most of his belongings, he didn’t have that much to begin with, and it didn’t take him long to find his favorite pair of pajama pants. They were red plaid and worn soft from use.

On his way to the bathroom, he grabbed a towel. Armin had already put everything away, and the steam from his and Jean’s showers still tinged the mirror. Eren turned the knobs, adjusting the water. He preferred long, hot showers as opposed to Armin who preferred quick, cold ones, so there was still enough water heated. Since Jean had showered too, he made sure he was faster than usual just to be safe.

 

~

 

When he was almost finished, he heard a knock on the door. Frowning, he turned the water off and stepped out. After hastily drying his hair and sweeping the towel along his skin to pick up the lingering drops, he pulled on his pants and ran to the door. Who could it be? The only people who knew him and Armin had moved in were Jean and the manager, both of whom shouldn’t be there.

Whoever it was, they were persistent to say the least. Throughout him drying himself, they had continued to press the doorbell repeatedly. After that hadn’t worked, they had started to bang on the door itself. Eren could barely hear them shouting something on the other side.

Eyes blazing with irritation, Eren swung the door open, obscenities already forming on his tongue. A woman stood in front of him, and her squeal when she noticed him rang in his ears. Her brown hair was in a loose ponytail at the top of her head, and her smile made Eren cringe. She wore glasses, and a long trench coat hit the sides of her feet.

As the shock wore off, Eren noticed movement behind the strange woman, and his words died in his throat when he saw the man. His arms were crossed against his chest; he stood with his hip cocked to the side. His jaw was clenched tight, and his eyes bore into Eren’s.

Eren’s eyes grew wide as the man opened his mouth to speak. He looked angry, angrier than he’d ever seen him, and Eren somehow knew that it was his fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that escalated quickly. On a side note, I’m thinking about doing a little side chapter for Armin and Jean. I’ll be posting it on my tumblr, when I do. Thanks for reading! Oh and for those of you who are watching for updates, I've already started chapter six (it's how Levi sees there encounter), and it should be up soon, I think....


	6. The Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading guys! It means a lot to me ^_^ I'm posting fanart on tumblr. The tag is #snk unexpected meeting. I’m drawing pictures of the apartments so you can better visualize them, and the guys as well. :> I’m really getting into this fic OTL Hope you guys like it as much as I do! Here's a late Happy Holidays! Chapter Seven will probably be out after New Year's so stay safe guys!
> 
> Edit: I uploaded the floor plans.... http://mastia.tumblr.com/post/71457270184/an-unexpected-meeting-levis-and-erens-floor  I'll hopefully get the first elevation up soon so you guys can picture it with chapter seven uvu It's the view when you walk into Levi's apartment minus the groceries....
> 
> Edit: I'm having trouble creating links OTL Can anyone help?

Luckily, Eren was too focused on Hanji to notice the hitch in Levi’s breathing when the door opened, and he quickly regained his composure. When the two locked eyes, Levi hardened his gaze, afraid that Eren would see through it. He opened his mouth to say something, what, he wasn’t sure. When nothing came out, he frowned.

 Inside, Levi was a whirlwind of emotions. Desire tightened his chest and made it impossible to breathe, and relief hummed through him like electricity. He was pissed off: at Petra, at Hanji, at Eren, at himself, at everything. Eren just stood there silently, looking as if he had just been kicked in the face, and Levi wanted nothing more than to leave.

Levi’s breathing quickened through his teeth. He did not like surprises, and this was one hell of a surprise. His new neighbor was Eren Jaeger, a student that through thick and thin managed to annoy the crap out of him, and he loathed that as pissed off he was, there was a not-so-tiny part of him that was jumping for joy at their unexpected meeting. 

Eren shifted his weight, aiming to face his former teacher. His turquoise eyes were as beautiful as Levi remembered. His bare chest was a golden tan, and his unkempt hair hung in his face. His pants hung low on his hips, leaving just enough to the imagination that Levi had to actively keep himself from taking him right there. He smelled of soap, green apple to be exact, and Levi thought briefly that he must’ve just gotten out of the shower. They stared at each other for what felt to Levi like hours until Hanji interrupted, pulling Eren’s hand into a vice-like grip and eagerly forcing it up and down. 

“Hi, you must be Eric? I’m H-.”

“Eren,” Levi’s stern voice cut through the air, his eyes never leaving the brunette’s, “His name is Eren, Hanji. And I’m leaving. Now.” Not waiting for his friend, Levi turned around and left. He was suddenly desperate to get away; he felt like a cornered animal. 

Instead of going home, he found himself moving through the hall and down the stairs, deciding that he couldn’t wait for the elevator. He had to keep himself from running until he was out of Eren’s line of sight; he couldn’t know how much he affected the older man. He felt Hanji’s questioning look boring into his back, but he didn’t care. His only thought was to get as far from Eren as possible.

~

It took him racing down six flights of stairs before he had to stop for air. His lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, and sweat plastered his black hair to his forehead and neck. He grimaced when he realized that he would have to eventually go back. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deep and forced himself to take an elevator the rest of the way down. The music grated on his nerves until the doors slid open and he hurried outside.

In his haste, he hadn’t had the chance to get his wallet or keys, and he decided that his best option was to head for the nearby park and wait until he calmed down. Luckily, he hadn’t started dinner yet, so burning down his apartment wasn’t something he needed to worry about. He would deal with Hanji’s questions later, but after hearing Eren’s name, she had probably already put two and two together. She had heard plenty about him from Levi.

He wasn’t much for religion, but at that moment, he silently prayed that she wouldn’t mention anything to the younger man. As good of a friend Hanji was to Levi, she had an extremely mischievous side- one that usually involved tormenting him-, and he hoped that his reaction would be enough of a sign to not meddle in this particular issue. 

There was a gentle breeze outside, and it ruffled Levi’s shirt as he strolled through the park. His eyes scanned the area for his favorite bench. When he saw it, he sat down, closing his eyes and raising his face to the sky.  

The sun had already started sinking, and the last rays warmed his cheeks. Levi watched the light dot and bloom behind his eyelids until it was dark, and he felt himself slowly relaxing. The park was on the larger side, giving in to patches of non-renovated forests and overgrown pathways, and Levi had always found peace by watching the little ecosystems grow and flourish around him. 

After a half an hour of listening to the sounds of nature, Levi felt the brush of fur on his arm. Chuckling, he raised his hand to allow the cat access, and it greedily rubbed its chin along his fingers. She was demanding and insistent, but she never failed to show up when he was stressed. Levi had grown a soft spot for the cat, and when she moved onto his lap, Levi cupped her face and smiled. She purred, and he scratched behind her ears and down her spine making her back arch. 

Levi said nothing as he petted her, and when he thought he had finally calmed down enough to go home, he stood, putting her back on the bench as gently as he could. Stretching, he looked at the sky one last time before heading back to his apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn’t help think of a back story with Levi and the cat when I was writing that scene XD  
> Uh, about Levi’s character here….I imagine him good with animals? The next chapter is gonna go back in time a bit. It’s what happened back at the apartments during Levi’s little walk :D


	7. Levi's Apartment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren goes to Levi's Apartment for the first time, and Hanji confronts him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking around this long. I'm sorry for the late updates; I've been really busy lately. OTL The chapter was going to be longer but I decided to break it into two chapter so I could go ahead and upload. Also, 'mI doing something a little different with this fic. I'm going to include "hidden chapters/scenes". Those will be things like Armin/Jean (and other couples) stuff and smut scenes. The first to be uploaded will be the "shower scene". It's from chapter one. At the time I was really wanting to write a masturbation scene, but I was in a place where I couldn't. I've been writing that recently instead of making a longer chapter seven.

Hanji and Eren stared after Levi as he walked away. His back was stiff, and it looked to Eren as though his presence had made the older man physically sick. While he had stopped his advances after Levi had rejected him, his feelings had remained the same, and it hurt him. He had to choke back the sob that was currently trying to escape his throat before addressing the woman next to him. Hanji cocked her head to the side after Levi rounded the corner, her face contorting in confusion. Eren bit his lip when she started talking to herself under her breath.

“Eren? Hmmm…Where have I heard that name before?” Her eyes widened when she place the name, and she laughed loudly, turning to the brunette, “So _you’re_ Eren.” She hummed and her eyes glazed over, “This could be interesting.”

“Uh…Have we met before?” Eren felt exposed. Her gaze was calculating, and he felt himself shiver under her scrutiny fully aware he was half naked and on the verge of tears.  

She shook her head, “Ah, where are my manners? I’m Hanji and that grumpy, grumpy man is Levi-but I guess you two already know each other. We came over to invite the new neighbors to a little get together. He lives right there,” she waved at the door across from them and rolled her eyes.

Eren grimaced and stepped back, starting to close the door, “I’m not sure coming over would be the best idea. Sorry. It was nice meeting you though.”

Not taking ‘No’ for an answer, Hanji dodged through the crack in the door and into his apartment, “Nonsense. He’ll be thrilled to have you. I’m sure of it! Go get dressed. We can wait for him in his apartment.”

Eren, ready to kick her out by force, stopped in his tracks. While he was sure Hanji was crazy, the invitation was appealing to say the least, and he groaned, closing his eyes. He _really_ wanted to say yes, but with the way Levi had acted earlier, Eren knew it wasn’t a good idea.  On the other hand, this was probably his one and only chance to learn more about the older man.

Eren flinched when he finally answered, “I’ll only be a minute.”

He made his way to his bedroom and looked for something to wear. After rummaging through his box of clothes, he found a clean t-shirt and his favorite pair of jeans and dressed as fast as he could. When he finished, he stood in front of the mirror, closed his eyes and placed his forehead on the cool glass. What had he gotten himself into? Levi was going to kill him when he found out.

“Fuck.”

~

Levi’s apartment was simple in design. The furniture was sleek and modern, all white and grey linen, iron and glass. Plants were placed carefully throughout the rooms; purples and blues were present in the paintings on the walls and the pillows on the couch and chairs.

The kitchen and dining room were raised with dark marble countertops. Appliances were either silver and black or a combination of the two. It was spotless save the grocery bags thrown haphazardly on the island in the kitchen. A bar area was set up; glasses hung neatly from the upper cabinet.

When Eren stepped through the door, the smell of oranges and sage caused him to breathe in deep and sigh. The scent was familiar and welcome, and Eren immediately was glad he’d taken Hanji up on the offer to come over.

Hanji, who was obviously comfortable in Lev’s apartment, made herself at home on the couch. The tv was already on-Criminal Minds, Eren noticed- and she patted the seat next to her, “Come and sit. I don’t bite.” She laughed at her own joke as Eren cautiously moved towards the living room.

“Levi’s making stew for dinner. It’s my favorite,” Hanji smiled at Eren and muted the tv, “You can relax. He won’t be back for a while. I thought I’d get to know you, though. We’ll be seeing a lot of each other now.”

Eren felt his unease melt away. Hanji seemed to know what she was talking about, and he wondered how the two adults knew each other. He cringed, thinking the worst.

“We’ve been friends for a while now, I guess,” Hanji was amused by the horror on Eren’s face once he realized he’d been thinking out loud, “and we work together, “ Eren opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off, “Before you ask, yes, I’m a teacher too. I teach the AP science courses and anatomy.”

Now that he thought about it, Hanji _did_ seem familiar, “You’re Miss Zoe! My roommate Armin had you last year!” Eren had heard quite a bit about the woman from his friend. Actually, she was known throughout the school for her eccentric teaching methods. He’ll never forget the day Armin came home traumatized after her anatomy class. Apparently she had brought a body or something for them to dissect, and it had moved while they were cutting it open.

The memory of Armin’s face as he’d told him the story made Eren laugh, and Hanji beamed, “I guess that means he enjoyed the class?”

 They both sat quietly after the small exchange and watched tv until Hanji decided she’d had enough of the silence. She didn’t bother turning it off, only muted it again, and jumped right into the reason she’d brought him over. Eren, who’d let his guard down, froze when the older woman reached over to touch his shoulder.

“Eren? “ her voice softened, almost to a whisper, as their eyes met, and she turned her head to the side, a smile playing at the edges of her lips, “Do you still love Levi?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, if you have any questions, just ask. Any ideas would be nice too. I feel like this is going by waaaay too fast but I'm having a hard time coming up with filler material by myself. :D Oh, and I'll upload the smut soon. You can look under #snk unexpected meeting on tumblr for updates!
> 
> Edit: I uploaded the shower scene. You can find it here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1131483
> 
> Edit: I can't decide whether Armin or Jean is the bottom. What do you guys think? You can comment on this fic or here:http://archiveofourown.org/works/1131483


	8. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi comes back to find Eren in his apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, lovelies! First of all, I'm so sorry for taking this long to update ;A; I've had a lot going on recently (you won't even believe how stressed I've been), but some of the problems have been fixed, and my time has been freed up significantly...I've also figured out where I'm wanting to take this story and Infected so that's also good haha. I'm already working on the next chapters actually c: Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Edit: Thanks alextree for catching a mistake! C:

It was already dark when Levi made it back home. During his time at the park, he’d calmed himself down, but much to his annoyance, his heartbeat started racing as he neared his apartment. As the anger subsided, worry took its place; there was no doubt that his apartment was a mess by now. Hanji never failed to wreck everything she came into contact with, and he could bet that Eren wasn’t as tidy as Levi liked.

“I mean, his hair was even messy right after washing it.” Levi stopped in his tracks. The memory of Eren fresh out of the shower was like walking into a brick wall. The smell of green apples had been thick in the air around them, and he felt his mouth watering. Oh, what he would give to run his fingers through-. He bit his lip, forcing his thoughts back onto the problem at hand and farther away from unknown waters.

Knowing Hanji, she would have taken Eren back to his apartment- whether the brat wanted to go or not. For some strange reason, Levi wasn’t okay with that. It wasn’t that having Eren in his apartment put him on edge per se, but Levi felt a pang of guilt at the chance that he would be there against his will. It wouldn’t matter if the brat didn’t consent to everything. _Ding._ Levi frowned as he stepped onto his floor. What was he thinking? Consent?

As he stopped in front of his door, he noticed that his bottom lip was swollen from earlier. It hadn’t bled much, but what little was there, bugged him. Wincing as he sucked on the cut, he reached forward to tightly grip the doorknob. His knuckles turned white from the tension, and his heart beat so hard he felt like he could pass out any second.

After resigning himself to the worst, he sighed, and letting out the breath he’d been holding, pushed open the door. What he didn’t expect, however, was the scene that greeted him, and his breath hitched.

Eren was seated next to Hanji on his couch. They were watching tv; it didn’t appear that either of them had noticed him yet. What caught Levi by surprise was how relaxed Eren was. The teen leaned forward slightly with his mouth parted, and his eyebrows were creased gently, as if thinking. His breathes were deep, and Levi couldn’t help but find himself fixating on the younger boy’s lips. The older man’s chest tightened when he realized that Eren was there of his own will.

Levi was so absorbed that he jumped when Hanji muted the tv. He quickly moved back, out of sight, as the brunette opened her mouth, and silently prayed that neither of them had seen him. His wish was apparently granted, as Hanji continued with her question.

 “Eren? Do you still love Levi?”

 

~ 

 

Eren didn’t know what to say. His chest hurt, painfully so, and his throat and mouth were suddenly dry. He licked his lips nervously, hoping that it wasn’t too obvious. If he was honest with himself, he _did_ still like Levi, but he’d spent the past year burying his feelings deep. Very deep. Levi had made it clear when he’d rejected the teen, and Eren hadn’t wanted to push his teacher further away.

“I- I don’t…”

Hanji’s smile wavered when something caught her eye. Eren noticed and turned to see what had interrupted them. Levi was standing in the doorway; the man’s eyes were glazed over, and he was unnaturally still. Eren shot off the couch, almost tripping over himself as he tried to get to Levi.

“Mr. Ri-.”

“Out.”

“I didn’t mean-.”

“Get the hell out of my apartment, brat.” Levi’s voice was cold, colder then Eren had ever heard it. Even when rejecting the boy, Levi hadn’t been like that. Eren’s face fell; the tears that were burning his eyes finally started to fall. He didn’t bother wiping them away but chided himself as they stained the carpet underneath him.

“Levi, let’s just take a moment to talk.” Hanji was quiet, not having bothered to move from her spot on the couch. Her disruption was enough to push Levi over the edge.

His eyes narrowed, and Eren flinched as he screamed. “You too, goddamn glasses. Get the fuck out before I kick your sorry ass off my balcony.”

“Fine, fine; we’re leaving. Don’t get your panties in a twist,” Hanji said as she stood up and guided Eren through the front door. As she passed, she got one last sentence out, leaving Levi glaring daggers at her back. “I really hope you didn’t screw this up, Levi.”

 

~

 

When the door was finally closed and locked, Levi sank against it. He noticed, for the first time, that he was dirty from his trip, and grimaced. He was far too tired to take a shower, but he used what little strength he could muster to at least change into clean clothes and sink into his bed. There was no way in hell he was going to fall asleep filthy and on the floor.

He slowly peeled of his shirt, and as he reached for another did something rare: he decided to sleep shirtless. After stripping off his pants and changing into a new pair of boxers, he slid under the covers. Despite the heat, he nestled deeper into his comforter. As an afterthought, he turned on his tv. Levi flipped through the channels, finally finding his favorite. He’d always enjoyed cooking and something about the Food Network helped him relax; if anything, the noise was something to get lost in.

So Eren didn’t love him after all. His prior rant left him numb and foolish. How could he let himself get his hopes up? While Eren was technically eighteen- he’d let himself look the information up after the brunette’s confession- he was still for all intents and purposes a teenager. Ignoring the boy’s beautiful blue-green eyes and smooth tanned skin, he was still a brat.

Levi was a high school teacher for God’s sake; he saw that kind of thing daily: girls and guys alike crying over the breakup of a relationship that had lasted less than a week. The drama was something Levi had grown accustomed to- or at least he thought he had. As frustrated as he was, there was still that part of him that scolded himself for acting like an inconsolable schoolgirl. One encounter with the brat left him holed up in his bedroom. It was downright ridiculous.

Sighing, he sat up and looked at his alarm clock: 9:30pm. The numbers glowed bright red in the dark room. He’d allow himself that night, but starting tomorrow, he would forget all about Eren Jaeger. It would be hard, he was sure, but for his own sanity, he had to.

 

~

 

“Uh, I’m sure that he’s just, um, stressed or,” Hanji paused, “something.”

The second he was outside of Levi’s apartment, Eren walked over to his own. Before going inside he stopped himself. It was late, and he wasn’t sure if Armin was staying at Jean’s place or not. He wasn’t the smartest thing on two legs, but he had enough common sense to know that if his friend saw him in his current state, it wouldn’t be good. While Armin was naturally cautious, he was the same as his sister Mikasa when it came to their friend’s feelings.

Eren let out a slow breath, and sat down against the wall; he was pale and shaky now that he was out of Levi’s view, and no matter what Hanji said to him, nothing but time was going to help. Angry tears ran down his face, and he had pulled his legs tightly against his chest in an attempt to comfort himself. Hanji caught on quickly and quietly sat down opposite him.

It was hard for her, but she kept her mouth shut and let him ride it out. As Levi’s friend, Hanji knew full well that he was better off by himself in this situation, and it seemed to her that Eren was the opposite. During their chat while Levi was out, the two had talked about a lot. It was clear that Eren was only staying in the hall for fear of his friend seeing him.

Time passed and well after Eren had calmed down, he remained in his position on the floor. His eyes were glassy when he finally stood up. “I’m fine, Hanji. You can leave.”

“Are you sure? It’s fine if you need something.”

“No, Hanji. Seriously, I’m fine.”

“If you’re sure…” The female squeezed Eren’s shoulder, “It’ll be alright, okay? Just give him some space.”

Eren’s voiced lowered, “If you say so.” He tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace, “Thanks for everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No...Levi..how many times have I told you not to jump to conclusions?...Hahaha Don't hate me guys. I'm a sucker for clichés...
> 
> On another note, this chapter had a lot of my personal head canon...I always imagine that Levi is someone who doesn't like sleeping in the nude (or his partners doing it either) and Eren always sleeps shirtless...Um I actually wanted to ask you guys- I always imagine Eren preferring (for himself) fruity scents and Levi liking spiced/citrus...What do you guys think?
> 
> Ugh, I had way too hard of a time staying with the characters this time around... I've always thought of my fics being out of character but this- I don't even know where to begin..Levi also showed a lot of emotion here and I did my best to make up for it by making him upset with himself for it. I'm finally able to read the manga so that should help....As always please let me know of any errors you see and thanks soo much for reading *bawls*
> 
> You can contact me anywhere (don't be shy) I love talking to you guys! Reviews are also welcome :>


	9. Waking Up Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Just wanted to say that I'll be uploading weekly (every Monday) and then doing chats...http://tinychat.com/mastia

When Eren woke up the next morning the first thing he noticed was that he felt like crap. He had no memory of getting into bed, or even going inside his apartment. It was quiet, so he decided that Armin had indeed stayed over at Jean’s and part of him was glad; he really didn’t know how he was going to handle seeing his friend after the episode last night. He hated being weak more than anything, the vulnerability too much to handle.

The brunette picked up his phone and sighed. It was already past noon. His stomached rumbled, and he decided, begrudgingly, to get up to make himself something to eat. As he padded towards the kitchen, he laughed aloud despite himself. His first morning of his new life was going to be spent alone, moping over his ex-teacher. What a fun way to christen the new apartment. Really, it was the best.

After opening the door to the refrigerator, he just stared, the cold air causing goose bumps to travel along his exposed flesh; he hadn’t noticed until then, but he must have stripped down to his boxers before getting into bed. That and the obvious fact that the fridge was completely and utterly empty. He groaned at his mistake, remembering that he and Armin hadn’t had a chance to go shopping yet. He had the sudden urge to laugh again, tired despite sleeping in. _Fate must hate me._

As if in response, his phone dinged and lit up with a new message. Eren took a moment to read the words before responding, debating whether or not to respond. On one hand, he kinda needed someone, but Mikasa was known for taking things a bit too far. Especially where he was concerned.

**Mikasa: Hey, you up yet? Wanna get lunch?**

**Eren: Just got up. Im starvin- lunch sounds great :D**

**Mikasa: I’ll be there in a sec.**

It wasn’t a surprise that minutes after pressing send, there was a knock on the door. He only yelled a ‘Come in!’ before heading to the bathroom to take a shower. After being in Levi’s class, he’d gotten used to being as clean as possible at all times. It was just second nature by now, though he doubted he was up to the older man’s standards. He felt a small pang in his chest as he turned on the water and slipped off his boxers. While he waited for the temperature to adjust, he heard the door close in the other room.

“I’ll be right out Mikasa! I’ve just gotta shower and get dressed!” There was no response, but he wasn’t expecting anything. Without bothering to check the water, he jumped in, not even realizing how tight his muscles were until they were unwinding. He felt the heat work its way into his back and gratefully let it calm him. Eren closed his eyes, getting lost in the sound of the drops hitting the tile.

When the water started to become cold, he turned the faucet off and reached for his towel. It didn’t take him long to dry off; after he was done, he wrapped the fabric around his waist and made his way to his bedroom. It was a short distance- almost a straight shot across the hall.

Mikasa was sitting on the couch in the living room, watching TV. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he really didn’t care; he guessed it was some cartoon or something. Regardless of what most people thought, Mikasa didn’t really care for crime shows or dramas. As expected, she didn’t acknowledge him until he sat down beside her a few minutes later.

“So what were you thinking? Maria’s?” Eren asked.

“Mhm,” Mikasa sighed, “I guess Armin is with Jean? I was hoping that I could treat you guys as a housewarming present but-.” She let her sentence end, leaving a silence behind. It wasn’t uncomfortable but the brunette didn’t like it for some reason.

“It’s okay, Mikasa. I’m sure we can go out some other time. And I got the check a couple days ago; I can pay for myself.”

The raven haired woman hummed in response, and they both stood, Mikasa taking a moment to stretch and roll her eyes. After shaking her head, she started toward the door. Eren laughed, following closely behind and grabbing his keys and wallet. “Whatever. I’m hungry so let’s go. I could eat a horse.”

Eren smiled at his sister’s attempt at cheering him up; he had made the right choice. Her presence made him feel a little less lonely and a bit less screwed. Because he knew, without a doubt, that he still loved Levi, and he wasn’t sure if the older man felt the same.

               


End file.
